Means for use in the practicing of golf strokes



Feb. 3, 1942. P. J. CAVANAGH MEANS FOR USE IN THE PRACTICING OF GOLF STROKES Filed June 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ill ll \I\ IVENT R PATRICK JOHN CAVANAGH f ATTYS.

'Feb. 3, 1942. P. J. CAVANAGH 2,271,811

MEANS FOR USE IN' PRACTICING 0F GOLF STROKES Filed June 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fai INVENTOR PATRICK JOHN CAVANAGH v W, W$0Md ATTYS.

Patented Feb. 3, 1942 S FOR USE IN THE PRAOTICIN G )F GOLF STROKES Patrick John Cavanagh, Berhampore, Wellington, New Zealand Application June 15, 1940, Serial No. 340,821 In New Zealand July 18, 1939 4 Claims.

strength of the drive and for gauging the direction thereof. The means devised may also be used in a competitive manner by a number of individuals in determining the relative extents of drive in the playing of golf balls, as measured by the indicator mechanism embodied in such means.

In this invention the essential feature comprises a target device consisting in a canvas or like covered frame that is disposed vertically and is carried on a series of arms extending forwardly from a main frame body, and which target frame is so counterweighted or balanced that it normally swings forward to rest with its bottom edge upon a base or like support but is capable of moving back when its front is struck by a golf ball played from in front. The amount of this rearward movement is directly proportionate to the strength of the impact. Also, by' providing the canvas target front stretched on its frame, the amount of rearward movement is varied in accordance with the point of impact of the golf ball in relation to the centre of the target. A ball impacting on the centre of the target from straight in front will thus force the target back to a greater extent than one impacting it from in front but at a point away from the centre.

Thus strength of drive, and strength in relation to straightness in flight or direction, both act in th determination of the extent of the rearward movement of the target of which it is capable by reason of its mounting This movement of the target in the rearward direction is employed to actuate means whereby an indicator pointer is caused to move over a numbered dial in exact correspondence with the amount of movement and which means form a feature of this invention. Also, the indicator actuating means are of a nature such that the pointer remains at the position to which it is moved in such an event, until the target completes its swing forward again to its normal position. Consequently the recording of the indicator is made positively and a period of time is given in which the indication of the pointer may be noted, before it moves back to a zero position.

The dial markings of the indicator may be made to represent yards of distances, the markings being evenly and proportionately spaced around the dial.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation, and

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the complete machine.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation thereof with the canvas front covering of the target frame removed. 7

Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged details of the indicating means. 1

Figure 6 is a rear elevation, also on an enlarged scale, of the operative mechanism of the machine.

Figure 7 is a side elevation thereof, partly in section.

In carrying out the invention a main framing is secured to a base plate or platform structure ID of suitable size and weight to provide the necessary stability for the framing and parts carried thereby. Such main framing comprises two vertically disposed front bearing bars ll arranged on the base at a distance apart and two rear vertical bars I2 fixed to the base and also disposed a distance apart laterally of the structure. The rear bars are carried to a greater height than the front bars, as shown.

the other and inclining upwardly and forwardly and which links are pivotally attached to the target frame l3 and the bars ll so that the frame I3 is adapted to move bodily, while maintaining its vertical disposition, rearwards and forwards in relation to the main framing, in

parallel ruler fashion. The said frame 13 is made of any suitable surface shape, such as the rectangular form shown, and stretched across its front is a target I5 of canvas or like material, and of corresponding shape to that of the frame. This is suitably secured to the frame l3 as by being fastened at each of its four corners by tie fastenings to brackets 16 projecting from the frame corners. The said canvas front may be shaped so that its edges incline inwardly and rearwardly. as shown.

This target assembly in its attachment to the main frame members II is counterbalanced in such a manner that the target normally moves forwardly and downwardly on its link attachments but is capable of being moved rearwardly and upwardly under the influence of pressure from in front, and when such pressure is removed, will swing forward to the normal position. To effect this purpose the lower ends of two of the oppositely disposed links M are extended downwardly and rearwardly beyond their pivotal attachments to the front frame bars II and are connected together by a cross piece [1, and to such cross piece a weight i8 is fastened. This weight in its leverage action is designed to be just overcome by the weight of the target assembly and thus provides that the said assembly shall be almost floating on its pivotal attachments to the frame members. Consequently it is readily responsive to movement under the impact force of a golf ball played on to the front of the canvas target and will move rearward a distance proportionate with the force of the impact, and then move forwardly again when the force has been expended, The forward movement is controlled in its extent by attaching a stop bar 19 to the cross piece IT to extend rearwardly, and by forming the rear end of such bar with a hook end which engages behind one of the rear bars E2 of the main framing, as shown in Figures 6 and '7.

A player may thus, from a position in front, play a ball on to the canvas target I and the target will move back in accordance with the force of the balls impact and the point on the canvas surface with which impact is made. A ball hit truly on the centre of the canvas will move the target more than one hit with equal force off centre, as in the latter case a tendency to sideways tension upon the canvas will absorb some of the force. Balls played out of the straight will therefore register less than those played straight at the same force, in the force indications provided for combining with this target.

The said registering or indicating means comprise a dial 20 that is fastened to the front of the main frame bars I 2 which are carried to a height sufficient to position the dial above the level of the target so that it may be seen from in front of the machine. This dial is divided into scale markings indicative of any distances or ranges of distances from a zero marking upward. A pointerhand 2| is fixed on a spindle 22 that is journalled in a bearing plate 23 carried by the rect correspondence with the amount of rearsaid frame members l2, and this spindle at its rear end is geared by differential gearing 24 with a second spindle 25 also journalled in such hearing plate 23. On this spindle 25 an operating grooved wheel 26 is fixed and around the top of the wheel a chain 2! or like flexible band is passed so that both ends of the chain extend downward. The chain is suitably fastened to the wheel. To one end of the chain a weight, or weights 28 are fastened and this end is left pendant so that the weight thereon moves the wheel I 26 to turn the pointer hand to zero position. The other end of the chain is carried down and is attached to an arm 30 that extends rigidly upward from the aforesaid cross piece I! of the target balancing means, and then rearwards.

The extremity of this arm will thus turn down crank fashion as the cross piece I! moves forward, and up as such cross piece moves rearward. The attachment of the chain end to this 7 ward movement given the target frame. When such movement finishes and the frame moves forward again to its normal position, the pull on the chain is slackened and the weighted end will act to turn the wheel 26 reversely and move the pointer back to its zero position. The effects of impacts of balls played on to the target face will thus be indicated by the movements of the pointer around the dial and if this is spaced with scale markings representative of distances the lengths of a players drives in accordance with such scale, will be registered by the machine. The details of construction of these indicating means are shown clearly in Figures 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings.

In order, however, that time shall be given to effect an accurate reading on each occasion, the machine contains means whereby the dial pointer is kept at the position to which it has been moved, until the target frame has returned to the forward position again. These means comprise a two ended lever 33 (Figures 6 and 7) that is mounted loosely on a spindle 34 extending horizontally between the rear main frame members I2. One end of this lever is connected by a chain or like flexible connection 35 with-a crank arm 36 extending rearwardly from the cross piece 11 of the target balancing means. The other end of this lever is weighted to keep it normally in a lowered position and this end has a chain or the like 31 fastened to it and such chain is carried up and over a pulley 38 mounted on the top of the main frame members above the level of the dial pointer operating mechanism, and then down and has a weight bob 39 fastened to its other end, as shown in the detail view Figure 4.

A pawl 40 is pivotally mounted on the bearing plate 23, beneath the lower edge of the gear wheel 24 upon the spindle 25 of the said mechanism and this pawl has the weighted pendant end of the chain 31 fastened to it so that when such weight is free to act, the tooth end of the pawl is brought upward to engage the periphery of the said gear wheel. This engagement is such as to allow of the gear wheel and its associated grooved wheel 26 rotating to move the dial pointer from the zero position around the dial in the progressive indicating direction, but to prevent any reverse movement. Thus with the target frame in its normal forward position and the cross piece I1. in the consequential rear position, the chain 35 is slackened so that the weighted end of the lever 33 acts to pull on the chain 3? and actuate the pawl 40 to move it out of engagement with the gear wheel. When the cross piece I! moves forwardly with the rearward movement of the target frame, the chain 35 is pulled on to raise the weighted end of the lever 33 and thus to slacken the chain 31 so that the weight 39 will cause its weighted end to move down and thereby tip the pawl 4|] into engagement with the gear wheel and prevent any reverse rotation of such wheel. This engagement will hold until the return of the cross piece I! to its normal position causes a slackening of the chain 35, when the weighted end of the lever will fall and cause the release of the pawls engagement.

The mechanism thus made and operating may be enclosed within a suitable casing 4| as illustrated in the full lines of Figures 2 and 3 and in the dotted lines of Figures 6 and 7.

In the set up of the machine for use it will preferably be surrounded by any approved arrangement of guard netting to prevent balls from flying wildly if missing the target. This guard is not shown in the drawings as its general features would require to be varied to suit the circumstances surrounding each use or installation of a machine.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for use for the purposes herein described comprising a vertical frame, a vertically disposed target device in front of the frame, a plurality of vertically spaced, pivotally mounted links on each side of the target extending rearwardly and downwardly therefrom, means for pivotally mounting the rear portions of the links on the frame, some of said links extending rearwardly from their point of pivotal attachment to the frame to form levers, counterbalance means on the ends of said levers nearly balancing the load of the target but permitting the target to overcome the effect of the counterbalance, means for limiting movement of the target in a forward and downward direction, and means for indicating displacement of the target.

2. Apparatus for use for the purposes herein described comprising a vertical frame, a vertically disposed target device in front of the frame, a plurality of vertically spaced, pivotally mounted links on each side of the target extending rearwardly and downwardly therefrom, means [or pivotally mounting the rear portions of the links on. the frame, some of said links extending rearwardly from their point of pivotal attachment to the frame to form levers, counterbalance means on the ends of said levers nearly balancing the load of the target but permitting the target to overcome the effect of the counterbalance, means for limiting movement of the target in a forward and downward direction, means for indicating displacement of the target, and delayed action means for retracting the indicating means.

3. In apparatus for the purposes described, a

vertically disposed target carrying frame, a main framing disposed behind such target frame, a series of pairs of link levers connecting the target frame to the main framing in a manner to allow of the target frame moving forwardly and rearwardly in relation to the main framing, a counterweight acting on the target frame to move it to a normal forward position, a dial plate fixed on the main framing, a pointer hand mounted to move across such plate, an actuating wheel gearing connecting the actuating wheel with the pointer hand to cause movement of the latter, a chain or like flexible band passing over said actuating wheel, weighted at one of its ends and connected at its other end to the target frame in a manner such that on rearward movement of said frame a pull will be exerted on the chain by the frame and on its forward movement the chain will be slackened, a pawl pivotally mounted to engage the gearing connecting the pointer hand and actuating wheel in a manner to allow the hand to move from zero position on the dial and to stop movement in the other direction, and connections between said pawl and the target frame whereby on forward movement of the frame the pawl will be moved to disengage and free the gearing and on rearward movement of said frame the pawl will be moved into engagement with said gearing.

4. In apparatus for the purposes described, a vertically disposed target carrying frame, a main framing disposed behind such target frame, a series of pairs of link levers connecting the target frame to the main framing in a manner to allow of the target frame moving forwardly and rearwardly in relation to the main framing, a counterweight acting on the target frame to move it to a normal forward position, a dial plate fixed 0n the main framing, a pointer hand mounted to move across such plate, an actuating wheel gearing connecting the actuating wheel with the pointer hand to cause movement of the latter, a chain or like flexible band passing over said actuating wheel, weighted at one of its ends and connected at its other end to the target frame in a manner such that on rearward movement of said frame a pull will be exerted on the chain by the frame and on its forward movement the chain will be slackened, a pawl pivotally mounted to engage the gearing connecting the pointer hand and actuating wheel in a manner to allow the hand to move from zero position on the dial and to stop movement in the other direction, connections between said pawl and the target frame whereby on forward movement of theframe the pawl will be moved to disengage and free the gearing and on rearward movement of said frame the pawl will be moved into engagement with said gearing, said connection between the pawl and target frame including a chain or like connection attached to a weighted tail end of the pawl, then carried up over a guide pulley mounted on the main framing and then connected at its other end to one end of a rocking lever mounted in such main framing, the other end of which rocking lever is connected by a flexible connection with a crank arm extending rearwardly from a lever extension of a target frame carrying link.

PATRICK JOHN CAVANAGH. 

